Merchant - US Retail

Who We Are:

Kontoor Brands, Inc. (KTB) is the parent company of Wrangler, Lee and Rock & Republic, with owned manufacturing facilities in Mexico and Nicaragua. Kontoor also owns and operates over 140 retail stores across the globe. Our global company employs more than 15,000 people in 65 countries, with world headquarters in Greensboro, North Carolina, and regional headquarters in Geneva and Hong Kong.

Job Posting:

The Merchant role assists with executing a strategy for assortments, with responsibility for buying, planning and inventory management. The position will work collaboratively within a multi-functional/matrix organization to drive business objectives and influence strategies to elevate online and retail store experiences while driving sales and profitability. They will drive pricing, promotions, marketing and visual presentation for all categories of business to maximize sales and profitability assuring the delivery of the financial plan.

Key Responsibilities:

• Assortment strategy: Lead assortment strategy in collaboration with the Business units. Develop data-based recommendations regarding assortment including style, color, size and segment to ensure that the specific needs of the business are met through the IMS process.
• Pricing strategy: Work with Merchandising and Business Unit leaders to create and execute a pricing/promotional strategy to maximize revenue while maintaining margin.
• Product sales analysis: Analyze sales trends and inventory levels within the replenishment system. Work with forecasting, operations and customer service to ensure that proper inventory levels are met to avoid out-of-stocks and excess inventory on hand.
• Inventory/Guidance: Develop topline sales and product inventory plans. Analyze and recap sales results to plan - to provide guidance/education to the overall business and to adjust forecasts up or down as needed to reduce surplus or drive incremental sales.
• Reviews seasonal and replenishment assortments with Ecom Merchandising and Store teams to brief on product stories, launches and key focus.
• Partners with Ecom Merchandising team to review site metrics and online merchandising insights to improve product performance.
• Manage promotional calendar, analyze performance, and adjust timing as needed.
• Manage the purchase order process each season in accordance with fiscal responsibilities such as sales, margin, and turnover.
• Balances overall DTC inventories for the company through tracking of product deliveries and timing the delivery of initial and replenishment distributions to achieve the highest return on investment. Communicates delivery updates to internal teams with recommended assortment changes if needed.
• Collaborates with business partners such as Customer Service and DC to determine the appropriate timing of initial and replenishment deliveries and to communicate needs/strategies with the ecom merchandising teams to meet these demands.
• Works with ecom site merchandising and marketing teams and pop-up store teams to form visual merchandising strategies and ensure online and on-floor execution.
• Plans and executes markdown strategies through reviewing sales results, researching sales and inventory by class each month and draws conclusions about business trends to ensure greatest margin potential for our business.
• Engages in seasonal line reviews and applies current selling and trend knowledge to support future buying strategy. Ensures that ecommerce teams have sales collateral, pricing, and merchandising information in a timely manner to execute plans seamlessly
• For the End of Season business review, provide review of business performance vs. plan and review performance of seasonal products to identify opportunities and risk.

• Prepare and present reports and analysis needed for all financial recaps and reviews including test results.

Skills for Success:

• Computer skills to include Excel, Email and other relevant Retail applications
• Strong financial and quantitative analysis acumen
• Ability to lead, coach and develop staff to improve performance and achieve professional goals
• Establish and maintain effective relationships with other management staff, employees and others with whom the company conducts business
• Read, analyze and interpret policies, procedures and other business practices, guideline and documents
• Understand, assess & problem solve by leveraging analytical skills
• Strong knowledge/experience in retail math (calculate figures and amounts)

Experience/Education:

• 5+ years of prior experience in a buying, planning and assortment strategy capacity

• Bachelor's Degree or equivalent experience

Special Physical and/or Mental Requirements:

• Travel required approximately 20-25%

• Willing and able to work additional hours when needed
• Bend, lift, open and move products and related office items varying in weight from 1 to 25 lbs., depending on need

Location:

• This position will sit at the Greensboro, NC office.

Why Kontoor Brands?

At Kontoor, we offer a comprehensive benefit package to fit your lifestyle. Our benefits are crafted with the same care as our products.

When our employees are healthy, secure, and well, they bring their best selves to work. Kontoor Brands supports you with a competitive benefits program that provides choice and flexibility to meet your and your family's needs - now and in the future. We offer resources to support your physical, emotional, social, and financial wellbeing, plus benefits like discounts on our apparel. Kontoor Brands also provides four weeks of Paid Parental Leave to eligible employees who are new parents, Flexible Fridays, and Tuition Reimbursement.

We are proud to offer a workplace culture centered on equitable opportunities and a sense of belonging for all team members. Here we have a global workforce of high-performing teams that both unlocks our individual uniqueness and harnesses our collaborative talents.